The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left shoulder condition due to inadequate medical evidence regarding flare-ups and their impact on range of motion.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not adequately address the Veteran’s reported flare-ups, which could lead to additional functional loss in terms of range of motion.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder tendonitis, DJD left ACL joint and labral tear, supraspinous tendon
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20068755
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for hypertension, service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability. The claims for service connection for left shoulder tendonitis, right shoulder pain, and lumbar spine disease were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service connection for migraine headaches was granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, while other conditions were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial disability rating greater than 20 percent for left shoulder tendonitis and greater than 10 percent for both left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as for a compensable initial disability rating for right carpal tunnel scar and right shoulder scar.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to her service-connected disabilities.
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